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Narec

Narec is a national centre for the UK dedicated to accelerating the deployment and grid integration of renewable energy and low carbon generation technologies, utilising wind, wave, tidal, solar PV and thermal power. We work with global blue chip companies, SMEs, start-ups and university spin-outs to commercialise technologies which generate electricity and heat; can be deployed into the electrical network; or form part or all of a distributed energy system. As an innovation partner with industry, Narec’s confidential development and testing capabilities provide a huge draw to project developers and companies operating in the low carbon energy and electrical network supply chains. Following a merger the center is being renamed as the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.

Narec has the only full-scale blade testing facility in the UK, which serves the global wind supply chain and industrial research community. This bespoke blade testing facility in North East England has quayside delivery access and can be deployed for single and multiple point resonant frequency fatigue testing and static load strength tests (to failure if required). Narec has also developed dual axis fatigue testing technology which allows quicker, more realistic dynamic ‘lifecycle' performance. Individual test programmes can be designed to suit client requirements. Narec’s advanced blade testing facilities and in house technical and prototype development capabilities give manufacturers an opportunity to validate new designs and improve reliability in an independent and confidential environment.

In HiPRWind, Narec is mainly participating in WP7 which is concerned with advanced rotor concepts and aims to develop new concepts to increase fault tolerance of blades.